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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22784980">Sisters (Doing It For Themselves)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mari_who/pseuds/Mari_who'>Mari_who</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Lore Olympus (Webcomic)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 16:48:30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,936</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22784980</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mari_who/pseuds/Mari_who</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The Furies are tearing up the Underworld on a wild Saturday night.  Megaera feels out of place.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Hermes/Megaera (Lore Olympus)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>66</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"We.<br/>
Are.<br/>
GOING.<br/>
<em>OUT.</em>"</p><p>Another Saturday night with her sisters.</p><p>Didn’t they get enough tormenting done with Hades’ damned souls?  Did they <em>have</em> to torment her too?  Seven o'clock in the Underworld, and Megaera's sisters were emptying their closets and vigorously pre-drinking.  Meg would rather stay home and have some nice warm lemon zinger, but her older sisters never understood.  They just cackled and gave her more ouzo.</p><p>Tisiphone and Alecto were very big on going out.  Of course, they were taller...and skinnier...and sexier...and much, much fiercer than their youngest sibling.  They got the big jobs, and she was their unwilling tagalong.</p><p>She didn't want to put on a slinky dress and totter around on tall heels, drinking delicious fruity drinks and dancing with cute guys to exciting music.</p><p>That sounded terrible, she told herself.</p><p>"TISSSSSS! I WILL CURSE YOU TO THE BOTTOM OF THE MOST BOTTOMLESS...BOTTOM PART OF TARTARUS IF YOU DON'T LOAN ME THAT GOLD MIDI BLOUSE RIGHT FUCKING NOW,"  Alecto boomed, shaking the windows of their apartment.  They were frequently loud.  The neighbors had complained at first.  </p><p>They didn't complain anymore.</p><p>"Thiiiiiis blouse?"  Tisiphone said mockingly, holding up the scrap of fabric.  "I dunnooo… you've put on a few pounds lately…"</p><p>Alecto howled and tackled Tisiphone into a pile of laundry.</p><p>Meg sighed and started to get dressed.  HER wardrobe was smaller and tidier, and full of the clothes that she liked.  She was halfway through pulling on a pair of cute overalls when the other sisters poked their heads out of Mount Laundry.</p><p>"MEG.  NO."  Alecto, with a lacy thong dangling from one of her hair snakes, clawed her way free and approached her sister from the left.  "You are not clubbing with us looking like a kindergarten teacher."</p><p>Tisiphone got up and approached from the right in a flanking maneuver.  "Wear the dress we bought you last month!  You never wear anything we buy you!  I ought to tear up all this frilly shit-"</p><p>"Don't you dare!"  Meg objected.  "I do all your stupid paperwork AND I do the cleaning!  You leave my clothes alone!"</p><p>"We will… IF YOU WEAR THE DRESS.  Just this time.  It looks soooooooo good on you.  You'll look soooooooooo good.  We'll make sure you have fun."  Alecto cajoled, slinging her arms around Meg.  </p><p>"Last time you two left me at the bar!  I had to get an Uber home and you didn't come back for three days!"  Huffing, Meg pushed her sister away, but Tisiphone slunk up to recapture her.</p><p>"Aww, sissy, we're sorry.  It'll never happen again.  We'll stick with you.  You can pick the karaoke songs.  We'll get those ice cream drinks you like.  We'll even come home a little early…"</p><p>Meg eyed them distrustfully.  Them and their toothy smiles.  "Fury swear?  For real?"</p><p>"Fury swear!"</p><p>The sisters bent their heads together, serpent-hair twining into a tricolor knot for a few moments, then separated, giggling.</p><p>"...All right,"  Meg said grudgingly.  "But you gotta get the dress down for me, I put it way up in the closet."</p><p>"AND the shoes,"  Alecto commanded.  "AND have another shot."</p><p>"Ugh, but they hurt my feet - "</p><p>"SHOES."  Alecto forced a small, brimming glass into Meg's hands.  "SHOTS."</p><p>Meg sighed, squinched her eyes shut, and gulped the liquor with a shudder.</p><p>At least if she got drunk enough she wouldn't remember how much fun she wasn't having.</p><p>***</p><p>Darkhorse was bar #1, and Meg slipped in behind her sisters as they battered through the door.  At least with them being… THEMSELVES, she would draw less attention.  The black wiggle dress they had forced on her - though she had to admit it was pretty, with teeny white polka dots and a little bow at her cleavage - was very wiggly indeed, clinging to her hips and bust in a disconcerting and slightly unwholesome way.  But Alecto was wearing gold spandex a few shades darker than her skin, and Tisiphone was all crimson sequins and black fishnet, and all eyes would be on them.</p><p>Like always.</p><p>She watched as they forced their way into the middle of a group of satyrs at the bar.  Alecto's bellow for drinks cut through the loud music.</p><p>Head down, Meg scurried through the crowd and found an empty booth for them.  And sat.</p><p>And sat.</p><p>A slender naiad waitress dropped off a tray of tall, colorful drinks.  "From your sisters," she shouted with benign boredom, and vanished back into the crowd.  Meg picked one that looked like some kind of pink slush, and sipped at it.  Cold and sweet and that flavor that means 'this tastes like candy but is probably 80% grain alcohol.'</p><p>Alecto dragged a tall satyr with a popped-collar polo shirt onto the little dance floor, which cleared significantly to give them room.  He looked scared.  Tisiphone was in the back playing darts with vicious precision.  </p><p>Meg huddled in the booth and played Angry Shades on her phone.  She wasn't very good at it, but the pictures were cute.  </p><p>The icy drink emptied and was replaced.  She tipped the naiad a handful of drachma, knowing her sisters would forget.</p><p>Another night on the town.</p><p>***</p><p>Bar #2 was a Mortal-style pub called Amphorae, where the waitresses wore scanty Spartan peplos and the food was supposedly good.  It was full, but Alecto stomped over to a table and intimidated its occupants into scurrying away.</p><p>"You're so RUDE," Meg complained.  Alecto hissed at her and sat down.</p><p>Wine-based cocktails and a sampler of deep-fried tidbits arrived quickly.  Someone had warned the kitchen who their guests were.  They attacked the food with barbarian gusto (though Meg at least used her napkin as intended.)  Tisiphone called for saganaki, and she and Alecto howled "OPAAAAA!" when a nervous waiter set it aflame at their table.</p><p>"Karaoke next?"  Meg asked hopefully.</p><p>"Mmph.  Thure,"  Tisiphote said through a mouthful of cheese.  "Wan' get cake first.  Ooh look, 'Hideous Painful Death by Chocolate', let's get that one!"</p><p>"DEATH BY CHOCOLATE!  <em>DEATH!</em>"  Alecto shrieked, banging on the table.  </p><p>Meg slipped down in her seat and hid her shame behind a menu.</p><p>They split the huge slice of cake together, paid, and staggered out into the night in a drunken sugar haze.  Sirensong, the closest karaoke place, was four blocks away through the Saturday night party crowds </p><p>Four loooong blocks.</p><p>After the first one, Meg had fallen far enough behind that her sisters were out of view.  Her feet hurt and everyone was taller than her.  She stubbornly refused to fly in this...STUPID dress because people would see her dumb underwear.  </p><p>They probably wouldn't notice she was gone.  They probably would sing ALL the karaoke WITHOUT her even though they FURY PROMISED.</p><p>Disconsolate, sniffling, Meg sat on a low brick wall next to the sidewalk and stared at the ground.  Her hair dropped and clung sadly to her neck.  </p><p>She wasn't sure how long she had sat there before a blurry, red-and-white object presented itself before her downcast, teary eyes.  She blinked a few times, and the object resolved into clarity.</p><p>It was a red hand, and it was holding a tissue.</p><p>She reached out and took it from the hand, and dabbed at her eyes, blinking owlishly.  Ugh, her mascara was probably <em>everywhere</em>.  Her gaze followed the hand to an arm, and then a shoulder, and finally the carefree face of a young man with a blinding toothy smile.  Directed at her.</p><p>"Do you need some rescuing, O fair maiden?"  Hermes said, and smiled even wider.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Meg finds unexpected fun.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Uhhh….”  Meg said.</p>
<p>His smile was brighter than the neon signs of the bars around them.  Her hair slipped shyly behind her back.  </p>
<p>“Sorry.  That was lame.”  The god shrugged and plopped down beside her.  “I just, y’know.  You looked sad.  Shame for a pretty girl to look sad.”</p>
<p>Oh no!  That’s flirting!  He’s flirting!  Is he really flirting?  Is he making fun of me?</p>
<p>“Are you making fun of me?”  The thought had popped into her head and straight out of her mouth.  </p>
<p>Hermes leaned back from her a little, looking nonplussed.  “Why would I do that?  That’d be really mean.”  </p>
<p>“I - sorry.  I’m just having a rough night.”  She sighed, then blew her nose noisily into the tisuse.  “My sisters always want to go out and party and it’s just not really my thing.  I fell behind and they probably haven’t noticed yet.  And...everyone is having fun and dancing...and my feet hurt.”</p>
<p>“Well.”  He leaned in and ducked his head a little, looking up at her appealingly.  “What WOULD be fun?”</p>
<p>She felt bits of her hair peeking over her shoulders at him.</p>
<p>“It’s silly.”</p>
<p>“I like silly.”  That smile again, lighting her up.</p>
<p>“Ummmm… I like to do karaoke… sometimes.  If the crowd isn’t mean about it.  And if my sisters let me choose songs.  They like stuff that’s really loud and I can’t sing as good like that.”  </p>
<p>“Oh man, I like karaoke!  I do raps!  I suck at it, but it’s fun, so I do it anyway.”  He laughed at himself, but… not in a mean way.  Not in a sad way like she did sometimes.  “But… ok don’t tell anybody this... I sort of like some mortal music.  Like the stuff they sing when they’re on boats, or harvesting plants or whatever.  They have good rhythm and sometimes they’re <em>scandalous</em>.”</p>
<p>“I won’t tell!”  she said eagerly.  “I like...well… love songs.  Sad ones.  And funny ones.”</p>
<p>“Why the sad ones?”</p>
<p>“Well, they say so much…”</p>
<p>“I know, I’ll take you to where your sisters are.  If they won’t let you sing anything you like with them, we can pick one out.”  He stood up and threw his arms out wide.  “Your chariot!”</p>
<p>“That sounds… ok, I guess…” she said, and gave him a little smile.  “But you can’t make fun of my voice!  Even if it’s terrible!  Just pretend you like it!”  </p>
<p>“Bet I won’t have to.”  He leaned over and scooped her up from the wall, one arm under her knees and another under her shoulders, holding her firmly but not too tight.  She squeaked a little with surprise, but… not disagreement.  Up close he was warm, and he smelled good, and his leanly muscled figure held her easily.</p>
<p>“You ready?”  he asked.</p>
<p>“Yeah!”</p>
<p>He bent his knees slightly and then rocketed them into the air.  She gasped, and then laughed, as the people on the street startled away from them and he swerved to avoid a hanging sign.  He took her up high, over the rooftops, and the cool air ruffled her locks and slipped under her skirt.  </p>
<p>“It’s so nice up here!”  she said, and hugged around his neck.  “I love it!”</p>
<p>“Me too!”  He twirled them around in midair, and she shouted with laughter.  “Man, you laugh pretty.  I’d fly you around all night for that.”</p>
<p>Meg was pretty sure her blush was visible from the mortal realms.  “You’d probably get too tired.  I’m...heavy.”</p>
<p>He slowed to a stop, hovering in midair, and caught her gaze from inches away, and held it.</p>
<p>“You’re not heavy,” he told her.  “You’re… soft.  And light as a feather.”</p>
<p>She could feel her hair blushing, too.  Shyly, she rested her head against his shoulder.  “You’re sweet.”</p>
<p>“So what club are we going to?”</p>
<p>“Oh!  Sorry!  Sirensong.  You know where it is?”</p>
<p>“Sure do!  Hang on tight!”  He winked, and squeezed her a little, and then they were falling.   Swooping low, he flew straight over the heads of the crowd below, and she heard yells of outrage doppler past them.  </p>
<p>It should have scared her, but it didn’t.  She felt him laughing, and she was laughing too, and it was… it was just wonderful.</p>
<p>For all the speed of their descent, Hermes’ landing before the club doors was delicate and precise.  She didn’t even realize they were on the ground for a moment; he didn’t seem in a rush to put her down.  In fact, before she could say anything, he had carried her right through the doors, with a grin and a wink at the doorman who rolled his eyes in return.  </p>
<p>“Don’t you have to pay to get in?  Do you know him?”  she asked.</p>
<p>“I know <em>everyone</em>,” he said.  “I guess those are your sisters?”</p>
<p>There was a sudden burst of noise from the stage, a scorching, throbbing guitar riff wiping out her reply.  Alecto and Tisiphone were up there, microphones in clawed hands, grinning spiky-toothed at the crowd, hair weaving patterns around their heads in time.  Strange jungle noises came from the speakers.  Alecto <em>howled</em> into her mic, and a burst of feedback shrieked in return, and then the drums kicked in.</p>
<p>“WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE, WE GOT FUN AND GAMES, WE GOT EVERYTHING YOU WANT, HONEY WE KNOW THE NAMES”</p>
<p>The crowd was cheering and dancing as the two Furies belted out lyrics like fierce condemnations.  Hermes threaded them through to the bar and set her down carefully on a cushioned stool.  </p>
<p>“CAN I BUY YOU A DRINK, PRETTY GIRL?”  he yelled over the music.  This night was turning from a disaster into an endless blushfest.  </p>
<p>“APPLETINI PLEASE!”  she answered, and he leaned past her to summon the bartender.  Next to him, pressed against his shoulder and his long lithe side, Meg felt warm and dizzy.  He was so <em>nice</em>.  Who knew gods could be nice?  Most people treated her and her sisters with wary respect or outright fear.  But Hermes was totally relaxed.  Everything seemed easy with him.  He leaned back to hand her the martini glass, and tinked his own against it in a toast.</p>
<p>“TO HAVING A GOOD TIME!” he yelled, and drank.  </p>
<p>And then leaned forward and kissed her cheek.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Something's gotta go wrong, right?</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>***<br/>
Background noises faded away as his mouth pressed against her skin.  Even her sisters’ screaming lyrics went away.  There was just the thudding racing of her blood, the heat of his kiss, the fear and excitement and happiness that were about to burst her open.</p><p>He leaned back and looked at her, and she saw the same things in his eyes.  </p><p>For a second.  Then he was leaning back further… and further.  His eyes got wider and he paled.</p><p>The entire club had gone silent.  And from behind her, there was a low hissing noise, and suddenly her sisters were there, clawed hands on her shoulders, heads bent low beside hers.</p><p>“<em>Hermessssss</em>...”  Alecto said.</p><p>Gods.</p><p>They were RUINING IT.</p><p>“Stop!  Stop.  It’s ok.  Everything’s ok.”  Panicked, Meg twirled on the barstool and pushed her sisters back.  The bar patrons had clustered at the other end of the room, as far away from the Furies as possible; she saw a few slipping out the door.  “REALLY OK.”</p><p>“WHY ARE YOU WITH HERMES.  YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO BE WITH US.”  Tisiphone pulled Meg into a possessive hug and glared at Hermes over her head.  “WHAT ARE YOU PLAYING AT, YOU LITTLE... MAILMAN.”</p><p>“You totally left me behind,” Meg argued into her sister’s shoulder, pushing back without much result.  “Hermes was helping me.  Stop scaring him.”</p><p>She glanced back over her shoulder, smiling desperately, withering with embarrassment, and Hermes…</p><p>Hermes was gone.</p><p> </p><p>***</p><p> </p><p>All that heat inside her drained away in an instant, leaving only void and cold.  </p><p>Of course he left.  Why would he stay.  She wasn’t enough for anyone on her own, much less with her bickering, roaring, feral sisters literally hanging over her shoulders.  Stumpy, pudgy, not even a pretty shade of purple, snake-haired, claw-fingered, desperate, a lousy flyer, a lousy singer, awful...worthless.</p><p>She shrank back into herself as Tisiphone and Alecto argued over her head, not even talking about Hermes anymore, some other meaningless topic having diverted them.  She couldn’t even hear them.  The sadness was too loud.</p><p>“Can we - can we just go home now,” she mumbled.</p><p>And then a burst of radio static cut the air, drawing startled eyes to the karaoke stage, where Hermes stood.  With a microphone.  And a smile that would outshine the sun, if it ever dared to shine down here.</p><p>And he sang, smiling, to her.</p><p>“<em>My heart's a stereo<br/>
It beats for you, so listen close<br/>
Hear my thoughts in every note<br/>
Make me your radio<br/>
Turn me up when you feel low<br/>
This melody was meant for you<br/>
Just sing along to my stereo...</em>"</p><p>She could feel stars rising in her eyes.</p><p>He held out a hand to her, and everything else faded away; her sisters, her doubts, the crowd still backed against the wall, slowly trickling out the door.  </p><p>She crossed the room to him and her feet didn’t hurt, not even a little.  </p><p>He pulled her onto the stage, and let the microphone fall with a thump and a feedback squeal.  Pulling her into his arms, one hand at her waist, the other on her shoulder, his fingertips light and warm against the bare skin there.</p><p>And as they started dancing, he sung softly, just to her.</p><p>"<em>I think finally found a note to make you understand<br/>
If you can hit it, sing along and take me by the hand<br/>
Keep myself inside your head, like your favorite tune<br/>
And know my heart's a stereo that only plays for you...</em>"</p><p> </p><p>***</p><p> </p><p>Alecto and Tisiphone stared.</p><p>“We should stop this,” Alecto said, distracted.</p><p>Tisiphone slung an arm around her sister’s shoulder, and they watched Meg dancing, with stars in her eyes.</p><p>“Nah,” she told Alecto.  “Let ‘em dance.  If he’s a problem we can always rip his flesh and devour his intestines later.  Look how happy she is.  Anyway.  I <em>knew</em> that dress was a winner.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I hope you all enjoyed reading this as much as I did writing it!  I know it's kind of whirlwind love-at-first-sight silliness, but I was in a mood.  Thanks so much for reading.<br/>For songs, I used "Fire In Your New Shoes (Extended Mix" by Kaskade ft. Dragonette, for the dressing scene at the beginning<br/>"Welcome to the Jungle" by Guns 'n Roses for the Fury Karaoke<br/>and finally "Stereo Hearts" by Gym Class Heroes.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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